Why many do ask me if ‘Savage’ is my real name? Once a British woman told me she hates her name ‘Mrs Ball’ and worst of all, my father’s name is ‘Mr. Underworld,’ she said. Yes, many of us have strange names. Some do change and others keep them.

I was born Joel Savage, at Cape Coast, in the central region of Ghana, on January 19, 1957, to Justin Savage, a professional journalist and Nancy-Elizabeth Hudson, an accomplished seamstress and a sewing teacher.

Last year, during my summer holidays in Barcelona, Spain, I gave one of my books to a student I met at the hotel I lodged. At the computer hall, I was flabbergasted when I saw his friends laughing at my name. I pretended I wasn’t listening to their conversation.

Then on January 1, 2016, history repeats itself. At the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, when ready to board my flight, an officer at the last checkpoint controlled my passport and the only question he threw at me is: How do you pronounce this word? Pointing directly to the name, “Savage,” I answered.

“Well, I’m glad that you mentioned it yourself, because I thought that may provoke you if I had said the same thing.” He said and gave back my passport to me.

If names have impact on people, then I am exceptional. I am happily married since 1993 and still live with the same woman. If I’m savage, uncivilized, cruel or a beast, my wife wouldn’t have been with me today. My three sons can stand behind me and tell everyone how caring and compassionate their father is.

What I know about myself is, I have intrepid sort of character. I don’t give up and no one can break me down physically, psychologically, emotionally or spiritually. In my life, I take any misfortune as beneficial and every problem as a challenge, because you can’t survive in this world if you submit to problems.

This is the reason many people are depressed, alcoholics or drug addicts. Because they don’t have the will power to fight and overcome those destructive tendencies. Savage is just a name but it has no influence on me. I believe in God and the Bible is my shield and Armour.

As if we didn’t already think Michelle Obama was the chillest FLOTUS yet, her new rap video will make you love her even more (and want to go to college).

The first lady teamed up with “Saturday Night Live” comedian Jay Pharoah to drop a beat about the benefits of higher education.

“If you wanna fight crime, you should go to college/If you wanna write rhymes fill your head with knowledge/If you wanna stare at grass don’t go to college, but for everything else you should go to college,” Obama expertly raps alongside Pharoah, from a recording studio that appears to be inside the White House.

The video, fittingly produced by College Humor, is for Obama’s “Better Make Room” campaign that aims to inspire teens aged 14 to 19 to go to college. Only question is, what do Sasha and Malia think about this one?

Racial discrimination, violence and crime, are some of the problems that have divided, caused havoc and brought unrest in our society today, yet many don’t learn from the painful experience, destruction and the mistakes they do.

In one of the shops in Antwerp, an African dog lover,went to buy a dog’s chain. After payment, as soon as he stepped outside, a white man entering the same shop, saw him with the chain. He asked the African if he is going to use the chain on his neck. What a provocation? I quickly stepped in to hold the angry African, when the scene nearly turned to bloodshed.

That is how life goes sometimes. The poor African is not looking for trouble but the devil is knocking on his door to give him one. The white man knows very well that such question could bring unexpected problems, yet he ignored and did what his heart wants. And if you called him a racist, he will tell you “I’m not.”

At the just concluded Flemish Journalist Association end of year’s press conference on December 5, 2015, in Antwerp, I witnessed something more shocking. Among all the Belgian journalists, were only two Africans. A white male came to the other African, a radio journalist and asked him if he knows what monkeys eat.

“I don’t know.” He answered. “Then follow me.” Said the Belgian journalist. The radio journalist followed him, without knowing whether it was a joke, game or racial discrimination.

To his utmost surpise, he was taken to table with a bowl of fruits, including banana. He just smiled and left the Belgian journalist standing by the table. Why should something like that happen among a group of journalists in the same association? This is an insult not intelligence.

Many times the black man is seen as a criminal in the society, because of the colour of his skin, but crime doesn’t know colour. Both black and white commit crime. If you hate someone bcause of his colour, please just leave him alone. Don’t try to stir racial violence, because when trouble erupts, it affects everyone including children, our business and the society.

The new edition of this best-selling book tells you how to: Give impressive answers to over 200 interview questions Deal with interview nerves and project total confidence Pass psychometric tests, competency-based questions, and assessment centres Avoid the traps that interviewers lay for unwary job seekers Turn every interview question to your advantage.

The Author

Dr Rob Yeung is a psychologist, keynote speaker and TV presenter who helps people to achieve their goals. As a psychologist and author of over 20 bestselling books, he is asked to consult, coach and speak on topics ranging from confidence and change to the psychology of leadership, sales success and high achievement.

A chartered psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, he has a First Class Honours degree in psychology (from the University of Bristol) and a PhD in psychology (from King’s College London). He was also formerly a consultant with top-flight strategic management consultants The Boston Consulting Group and is currently a director at leadership consulting firm Talentspace.

Over the last decade, he has specialised in research and consulting in the fields of high achievement and peak performance. He works with executives, sports people, entertainers and public figures as well as lecturing to students at universities and business schools. He has written scientific papers in research journals and many of his 20+ books are available in dozens of languages worldwide.

“How to Earn Money by Blogging” eBook is a breath of fresh air to the Entrepreneurial world, and is here to shift our thinking about making money. Learn step by step about blogging with the help of screen shots.

People say you need to learn from experience; I say that’s too expensive. You must learn from other people’s experience and don’t repeat those same mistakes. Isn’t that more intelligent?

We assure you this book will not be like anything you’ve ever read, and we will talk about the things in a way you may have never heard before, we might say things that will rub you the wrong way, make you mad, make you question your past beliefs, and interrupt your normal thought patterns.

The author

A visionary, game changer, speaker, author, mentor, and dedicated entrepreneur VivekDhungav is on a mission to shift our culture, and won’t stop until his vision becomes a reality. Vivek can’t stand traditional education, and feels our society isn’t doing enough to educate, teach, and train our youth on how to REALLY thrive in this tough economy. He’s taken it upon himself to guide and educate our millennial on what it takes to not only succeed, but thrive!